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24 Answers

7 votes

I'm pretty sure that Pokemaster's link is pretty much the same thing, but...

There's no room for setup with Pikachu. With the frail defenses, Pikachu will never take more than two hits in the standard game, and will be lucky to take more than one. That means no Agility and no Nasty Plot.

This is the standard set for NU/UU Pikachu. It's a set I usually see when I see Pikachu being used, so I may as well credit this set:

Thunderbolt (STAB)

Grass Knot (Great Ground-type coverage!)

Signal Beam (A nice coverage move)

Hidden Power [Fire] (Great wall coverage, as Ferrothorn, Bronzong, and other Steel-types won't be taking kindly to it)

Special Attacker

Pikachu @ Light BallTrait: Lightning Rod
Evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
~ Substitute
~ Nasty Plot
~ Thunderbolt
~ Hidden Power IceShe can do good on a rain team just replace thunderbolt for thunder. Hidden Power Ice covers Grass and Ground that pikachu couldn't hit with a thunderbolt. Substitute to use when you think someone is going to switch and then you can set up nasty plot to de even more damage.

Volt Tackle (STAB)
Dig (Helps against other electric types, but beware of Earthquake)
Surf/Grass Knot (Ground type coverage. You can only get surf from event)
Nuzzle (Does damage and paralyses)

Personally, I wouldn't use Pikachu in any competitive team, but I find this moveset can do a bit of damage before being ko'd.
(Don't listen to the comments, I have updated my moveset, as the last one was stupid :) )

Sorry, but this set is bad. I see your logic, but it doesn't work. Just because you don't keep Pikachu in on a Ground type doesn't mean that you should let it be completely walled by them. Pikachu can pick off Ground Pokemon with moves like Hidden Power Ice and Grass Knot. Those moves also offer additional coverage on other types apart from Ground, allowing Pikachu to secure KOs on more Pokemon. Using Volt Tackle and Thunder on the same set does nothing for you - in fact, it's detrimental is it's forcing you to divide your EVs between stats which makes Pikachu weaker. You might as well run coverage and some other useful moves like Substitute. You're pretty much wasting three moveslots with this set, and making Pikachu weaker with your EVs.

Even with the Light Ball doubling Pikachu's Attack and Sp. Attack, Pikachu still won't be a good sweeper. You could instead use it to remove your opponent's held item (by using Knock Off) and to poison them (by using Toxic), then switching out using Volt Switch. Substitute is for protection as Pikachu won't last more than a turn otherwise due to its horrible defences.